Escaping the Haze
by Felis-Is-Absent
Summary: They said there was no cure once you were infected. They didn't say one couldn't recover. What will a hunter do when his humanity begins to trickle back into his life?
1. Morning

It was a cold morning, the sun barely peeking through the wall of fog. I sat in a tree, knowing that hunting time was over. Prey saw things like me easily in the day, and none of us wanted to be seen. A painful memory of the last time I was seen lingered in my gut, even though it had come long ago.

I had seen no prey since. Oddly, I no longer felt the lust to hunt. The pain that made me desire the taste of blood other than mine in my mouth. I had not tasted any other for many nights.

Three nights ago, I did not taste my own blood anymore. I mentioned it at the gathering of my kind shortly after the sun rose.

"You have not hunted for many nights," the hunter who shared my territory said in our guttural tongue. "You need the taste of blood in your mouth, the thing that makes you a hunter, as bleeding makes prey."

The long-tongued one who also inhabited our woods interjected. "Blood in your mouth? Haack! You know nothing of *hack*-huff-hunting. To feel bodies crush in the wrap of your tongue is…huck hack…the-ACK…yes."

"Hunting? Why hunt?" the bloated one said, "There is no need to eat prey, there is plenty food that does not need to be killed, at risk of life."

"Enough." the other hunter growled, he looked towards the long-tongued. "We do not have your tongue, or your repulsive face, or smell. I am sure he is thankful as I am for that." To the bloated one, "You cannot understand, you are weak, and you say you are filled with pain, not bloodlust. I am the only one who can understand his problem."

While they talked, I examined them all like I had never even considered doing. The hunter was stained with blood. I asked him when he had caught his last prey.

"Last night," he said with a hint of pride. "Come with me this night and I will help you get one. It may help you."

I thanked him, but I hastened away from the gathering. The sight of the blood smothering him repulsed me, made me sick. A disgusting taste filled my mouth, bitter and sour unlike the tang of blood.


	2. Encounter

I went to the river to look at myself. To see if I looked like that; covered in blood, sick, barbaric.

Barbaric? What was barbaric? I had only thought of it then, and I was confused. Barbaric…was not civilized. Not good.

I leapt to the branch above the river. I looked down and saw myself.

A horrible face, mouth partly open, I looked just like the other hunter. Blood was crusted on my chin and under my eyes. It was brown on my front; on that thing on me…a hoodie…I didn't know why I remembered what it was. I never thought anything of it before.

The branch proved too weak to hold me.

It moaned at me, and then snapped. I was seized by surprise and fear, for I was quite high up. So? I was used to falling from high places.

Why am I arguing with myself, I thought, I might die! A river, with rocks at the bottom, it would most certainly have the same effect as bullets did considering that I was falling.

I hit the rocks, and it hurt. My hoodie caught on the branch and was torn off of my body. I felt my blood flowing from me in a lot of places on my chest. I was afraid, and I began to scream my displeasure.

"Hello?" I heard the voice of a female prey behind me, from the woods. I turned around quickly, now even more afraid. She emerged from the trees. She looked at me, and I knew I was doomed. "Hey, are you alright?"

Was I? Alright was good, I thought, and I was _not_ good.

"If you don't answer me, I'm gonna shoot."

Shoot? Shoot!? I didn't want her to shoot me, I'd die. I tried to respond.

"Aah. Gr. Argh Iie?" Those sounds came out of my mouth, I wasn't sure of their meaning.

"What?" she responded, seeming somewhat confused. "Did you say you're alright? Because you're not."

"No Rghiie?"

She stared blankly at me. "No." She seemed to grow frustrated. "God, look at you! You're covered in blood and everything."

I was, indeed.

"Come on, I can treat you at my house. It's not far from here, and it's safe. I have two people with me so you don't get hurt again." She drew closer, taking hold of my wrist and trying to tug her sweater onto me.

"Nai," I said. "Paiien."

"I'm not going to hurt you, and neither are my partners." She reassured me. "I mean, if you jumped out at them, they might think you're infected, you're so pale. But you aren't bleeding from the eyes or mouth, and you can talk…sort of, so I think you're fine."

"Faiien." I repeated.


End file.
